1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to chain saws and more specifically to a method of increasing chain saw speed while regulating feed, which increases the speed of a chain saw for utilizing a lower horsepower motor.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
Currently a chain saw includes a chain of cutters revolving around a guide bar. The cutter chain is rotated by a hydraulic motor. The hydraulic motor is rotated with a flow of hydraulic fluid from a hydraulic pump. The hydraulic pump is rotated with a electric motor, gas engine or diesel engine. The guide bar is fed against a piece of wood by an actuation device, such as a hydraulic cylinder. The required speed and feed of the chain saw requires that the engine/motor have a set horsepower. If an engine with less horsepower is used, the chain saw speed decreases or the feed is too great for the chain saw to cut the piece of wood. However, even if the speed of the chain saw is increased, the chain saw may stall if the chain saw is fed into the piece of wood with too much force.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,593,804 to Snider discloses a power cultivator. The Snider patent includes a portable power operated cultivating and digging machine preferably incorporating a gasoline engine as the prime mover. The engine drives a pulley and belt assembly, which in turn drives a sprocket. However, the drive ratio decreases the speed of the endless chain saw. U.S. Pat. No. 5,103,881 to Johnson discloses a log cutting apparatus. The Johnson patent includes a log cutting apparatus with a drive motor, a driving sprocket at a proximal end of a drive bar and a pulley sprocket at a distal end. The drive sprocket is a greater diameter than a pulley sprocket, thus providing an increased chain speed with respect to the speed of the drive motor. However, the Johnson patent provides no explanation as to the consequences of increasing chain saw speed relative to the feed rate of the chain saw.
Accordingly, there is a clearly felt need in the art for a method of increasing chain saw speed while regulating feed, which increases the speed of a chain saw for utilizing a lower horsepower motor by controlling the feed rate at which the saw bar is fed into a piece of wood.